Liquid dispensing apparatus



W. VACHOUX Jan. 9, 1934.

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LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVQNT R; q: ck om Jan. 9, 1934. w VACHOUX 1,943,194

' LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mr. ach wx lNveNTuR:

Jan. 9, w VACHQUX LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 8, 1932 F'atented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS William Vachoux, Geneva, Switzerland Application June 8, 1932, Serial No. 616,103, and in Switzerland June 19, 1931 7 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus which may be used particularly for dispensing liquids used as foods, as for example, milk.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which dispenses liquids used as foods in hygienic manner and which is constructed to protect the liquid from the influence of air and heat so as to conserve it under most favorable conditions.

A further object is the provision of an apparatus which dispenses liquid in measured quantitles, the measuring being effected automatically by the action of the descending level of the liquid in the container from which it is dispensed.

A further object is the provision of a device for mixing and agitating the liquid to be dispensed while it is kept in a hermetically closed container.

With these and other objects in view, the in vention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts as will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, showing two constructional embodiments of the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a dispensing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a section along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of adispensing apparatus according to the second embodiment,

also in vertical section.

Figure 5 is a section along the line V-V of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a section on line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Figures '7, 8 and 9 concern detail views of the dispensing valve.

Figure 7 is a section along the line VII-VII of Fig. 4, drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 8 is a section along the line VIII-VIII of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a detail part of the valve operating mechanism.

The represented apparatus comprises a frame 1 which may be secured for instance against a wall of a room. This frame carries a liquid reservoir 2 by means of two journals 3 provided near the bottom of the reservoir and by two pairs of articulated rods 4 pivoted to the upper part of the reservoir and to the frame. The bottom of the reservoir is on its inner side slightly conical andprovided with a discharge orifice 5 closed by a cock 6. The reservoir has a removable cover 33 and its walls contain heat insulating material 34.

Within the reservoir a piston 7 is arranged for vertical movement and has its periphery forming a liquid and air tight fit with the wall of the reservoir. The piston rod 8 is suspended from a 0 casing 9 which is arranged to slide vertically along the frame 1 and is suspended on one end of a cable, rope or other flexible member 10 of a hoist of which the other end is rolled around a pulley 11 carried by a bracket attached to the frame. The rod 8 traverses the piston 7 and its lower end carries a pair of lazy tongs 12 having their ends hinged to a plate 13. A ball bearing 14 is interposed between the piston 7 and the rod 8 permitting frictionless rotation of the rod relative to the piston. This latter is also provided with a passage 15 establishing communication between the reservoir and the atmosphere and which may beclosed by a cook 16.

The casing 9 contains two toothed conical wheels 20 and 21 of which the one, 20, is fixed to ed in the casing and subjected to the action of a torsion spring 23 which tends to maintain the shaft in a predetermined position. On the shaft 22 is fixed a pulley 24 on which is wound up a string or chain 25 of which the lower end terminates in a handle 25a (Fig. 2).

The flexible member 10 carries an index 17 moving in a slot 17a of a board 18 provided with graduations 18a along the slot.

A table 19 is fixed to the frame 1 beneath the reservoir 2 and serves as support for the receptacles into which liquid is to be dispensed from the reservoir. A pipe 20 is provided to carry away such liquid which may be spilled on the table.

If it is desired to dispense a certain quantity of liquid from the reservoir, a receptacle to be filled is placed on the table 19, the rope 10 of the hoist is released so that the piston 7 is free to descend until it arrives on top of the liquid contained in the reservoir 2 and then the cock 6 is opened. Owing to the weight of the piston, the piston rod and the casing 9, the liquid flows out through the orifice 5 until the cock is closed, and during the travel of the piston the index 17 moves along the graduations 18a and indicates thereby the quantity of dispensed liquid.

Certain liquids, as for instance milk, have to be agitated before being dispensed. In this case, before opening the cock 6, a pull is exerted on the handle 25a. The chain 25 then turns the pulley 24 and the shaft 22 whereby the spring 23 is tensioned. When now the handle is released, the spring imparts a sudden movement of rotation to the shaft 22 in opposite direction and this rotation is communicated by the wheels 21 and 20 to the piston rod 8 and to the lazy tongs 12, which owing to the efiect of the centrifugal force will spread out, so that the plate 13 is raised and this double movement of rotation and of reciprocation produces an excellent mixing of the milk in the-reservoir.

A second hoist 26 is also carried by the frame 1 and has its operating member 27 fixed to a bracket secured to the frame. This second hoist may be used for instance to raise a milk can 37 to a height above the reservoir 2 to have the contents of this can flow through a flexible pipe 28 into the reservoir. A second flexible conduit 29 may connect the cock 30 on the cover of the milk can to a pipe 31 leading for instance to a cold storage room, in order to draw fresh and cool air into the can 37 as the milk therein is made to flow into the reservoir so that the milk in the can is only in contact with pure air; once the milk is in the reservoir it is held completely out of contact with the air owing to the piston 7 fitting tightly in the reservoir.

The reservoir 2 is also provided with an orifice 32 through which water for cleaning may be introduced into its interior. In. order to clean the reservoir it can be brought into the position shown in Figure 2 by turning it about its journals 3.

In order to facilitate the upward movement of the piston 7, it may be provided with a valve opening when the piston is raised and permitting the air to pass therethrough.

The apparatus represented in Figure 4 comprises a supporting frame having two vertical tubes 40 which carry the reservoir 2 by means of the journals 3 and the articulated rods 4 as in Figure 1. The conical bottom of the reservoir is provided with the discharge orifice 5 closed by a valve 6 which is provded wth automatic dispensing means. The upper portion of the reservoir forms a removable cover 33 and the walls of the reservoir are stuffed with cork or other heat insulating material.

A tight fitting piston 41 can reciprocate within the reservoir and is provided with a cavity 42 on its upper face. The piston is suspended on a rotatable rod 43 supported in a cross member 44 to which are fixed two vertical tubes 45 sliding in the tubes 40 of the frame. Roller bearings 46 are provided between the cross member and the piston rod, as also between the piston and the piston rod in order to ensure an easy rotation of the rod. The rod 43 traverses the piston but a tight fit is provided between rod and piston. An agitating device 12, 13 similar to that described with reference to Figure 1 is secured to the lower end of the piston rod. The cross rail 44 forms a casing into which the piston rod 43 penetrates, which rod carries a pulley 47 which may be rotated by a rope 48 wound up on the pulley and having one end attached to an elastic member 49 engaged in a hook 50 carried by the tube 45, the other end of the rope is attached to a nonrepresented handle as in Figure 2. Rollers 51 are provided to guide the rope.

Each tube 45 has a rack 52 lodged in its interior (Fig. 6) and meshing with a pinion 53. In order to enable the pinion to engage the rack, the tube 40 is provided with an opening 54 while the tube 45 is longitudinally slotted as indicated at 55 extending over the entire length of the rack. Both pinions 53 are carried by a shaft 56 capable of being rotated by a ratchet device 57. A pawl 58 engages with the ratchet wheel 59 in order to prevent any undesired return movement of the cross rail 44 and of the piston 41.

One or both of the tubes 40 may be provided with an opening 60 disclosing a graduation 61 carried by the inner tube 45. This graduation permits to control the position of the piston in the reservoir 2 and indicates the volume ofliquid which is present in the reservoir beneath the piston.

The Figures 7 to 9 concern the automatically operated dispensing valve which is controlled by the rotation of the shaft 56. The valve body 62 is 89 of the three way type, the three passages being indicated by 63, 64, 65. One of these passages is registering with the orifice 5 in the reservoir 2 while the two others are opening into the free air. The valve plug 66 is perforated in the shape of a V and can establish communication either between the orifice 5 and the passage 64, or between the orifice and the passage 65. Figure 8 shows the plug in its median position closing the orifice 5. To either end of the plug 66 is secured a disk 67, 68 respectively. The disk 67 carries on its outer face two wings 69 permitting to operate the plug by means of the fingers. The inner face of the disk 67 is provided with a projecting. rib 70 upon which act two branches of .a blade spring 71 tending to maintain the plug in its median position of closure. In order to ex-. actly bring the disk 67 into the position which corresponds to the closing position of the plug, the disk is provided with a notch into which engages a spring 72 carried by the valve body.

The disk 68, Fig. 9, comprises two ratchet toothings 73, 74, having oppositely directed teeth and cooperating with two pawls 75, 76, Fig. 7, formed on the ends of two two-armed levers 77, 78 pivoted at 79 to the lower portion of the valve body. These levers may be alternatively subjected to the action of a blade spring 80, also attached to the valve body 62, to have one or the other of the pawls 75, 76 engage its corresponding ratchet teeth on the disk 68. The arms of the two levers upon which acts the spring 80 are provided each with a projection 81, and each projection cooperates with a pin wheel 82 and 83. The number of pins on the wheel 82 being one half of the number of pins on the wheel 83. These pin wheels are mounted for rotation with the shaft 56.

The. piston rod 43 is provided near its lower end with an axial passage 84 and a radial opening 85 establishes communication between the interior of the reservoir and the atmosphere. The opening 85 can be closed by a sleeve 86 sliding on the rod 43.

A table similar to the table 19 in Figure 1 will also be provided in this embodiment.

The. operation of this liquid dispenser is the following:

It shall be supposed that the reservoir is filled with liquid, for instance with milk.

The pawl 58 will be released and the piston 41, the tube 45 and the cross member 11 will descend until the piston rests on top of the milk placing this latter under pressure. In. order to be sure that no air is trapped between the piston andthe milk, the sleeve 86 is raised to open the passage 85'; any air in the reservoir will then escape, and as soon as milk starts to flow out, it is certain that no air is left underneath thepiston. The sleeve is then lowered again and the apparatus is ready to dispense milk in measured quantities. A receptacle may now be placed underneath the valve mechanism 6 and the disk 67 turned in one or the other direction to have milk fiow into the receptacle. When the disk is turned in clockwise direction in Figs. 4 and 8, the left arm of the spring 71 tends to return the disk into its original position, but the pawl 75 acted. upon by the spring 80 engages the disk 68 and. prevents return movement of the plug 66. 159

As the milk flows out of the reservoir the piston is lowered with the descending level of the milk, as also the cross member 44, the tubes and the racks 52. The pinions 53 are rotated and turn the shaft 56 to which the pin wheels 82 and 83 are keyed. A pin of the wheel 82 now cooperates with the projection 81 and pivots the lever 77 so that the pawl starts to move out of contact with the ratchet 73. After a certain amount of time the pawl 75 releases the wheel 68 and the valve plug is free to return into its closing position under the action of the spring 71.

It will be easily understood that the distance between the pins of the wheel 82 can be chosen so that the valve will be opened for the exact time which is necessary to have for example a quart of milk flow out of the reservoir. The wheel 83 being provided with twice as many pins as the wheel 82 will in this case dispense one pint of milk. In order to dispense one pint of milk, the spring is made to press on the lever 78. The pawl 76 is then engaging the disk 68; the disk 67 is then turned in counterclockwise direction. After one pint of milk has flown out of the reservoir the pawl 76 releases the disk 68 owing to the action of the wheel 83 and the spring 71 closes again the valve.

In order to mix the liquid before dispensing it, the rope 48 is pulled; the elastic member 49 is put under tension and when the pawl is released a sudden movement of rotation is imparted to the pulley 47 and to the piston rod 43 whereby the mixing device is actuated as has been described before.

In order to keep the liquid cool in the reservoir, ice can be placed in the hollow 42 of the piston.

Once the piston has arrived at the bottom of the reservoir it can be raised by means of the ratchet device 57 and the pawl 58 and wheel 59, after the opening has been disclosed.

I claim:

1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid containing reservoir, a dispensing valve provided in the bottom of the reservoir, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir, a piston rod mounted for rotation relative to the piston, a hoist, a casing suspended from the hoist to be vertically movable and carrying the piston rod, means in the casing to impart a movement of rotation to the piston rod, and a liquid agitating device carried by the piston rod.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid containing reservoir, a dispensing valve provided in the bottom of the reservoir, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir, a piston rod traversing the piston and mounted for rotation relative thereto, a hoist, a vertically movable casing carried by said hoist and having the piston rod suspended therefrom, manually operable means in said casing to impart a movement of rotation to the piston rod, and a liquid agitating device carried by the piston rod and adapted to vertically move relative to the piston owing to the centrifugal force to which it is subjected upon i rotation of the piston rod.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a frame, aliquid containingreservoirmounted in the frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, a tight fitting piston vertically movable in the reservoir and adapted to rest on the liquid in the reservoir, a piston rod mounted for rotation relative to the piston and traversing the piston, a hoist, a vertically movable support carried by the hoist and having the piston rod suspended therefrom,

manually operable means carried by said support to impart rotation to the piston rod, means indicating the position of the piston within the reservoir, and a liquid agitating device carried by the piston rod to rotate therewith.

4. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a frame, a liquid containing reservoir carried by the frame, a liquid dispensing valve provided in the bottom of the reservoir, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir and adapted to rest upon the level of the liquid within the reservoir, a vertically movable supporting member for the piston slidably carried by said frame, a rack carried by the supporting member, a pinion carried by the frame and meshing with the rack to be rotated upon downward movement of the supporting member and the piston owing to the descending liquid level when dispensing liquid from the reservoir, and means actuated by said pinion and operatively connected to said dispensing valve to automatically close the valve after it has been opened in timed relation to the descending level of the liquid in the reservoir.

5. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a frame, a liquid containing reservoir carried by the frame, a liquid dispensing valve provided in the bottom of the reservoir, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir and adapted to rest upon the level of the liquid within the reservoir, a vertically movable supporting member for the piston slidably carried by the supporting member, a pinion carried by the frame and meshing with the rack to be rotated upon downward movement of the supporting member and the piston owing to the descending liquid level when dispensing liquid from the reservoir, a shaft turning with the pinion, a pin wheel mounted on the shaft, said liquid dispensing valve including a rotatable plug, a ratchet wheel on the plug, means tending to turn the plug into closing position, and a pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel upon opening the valve and cooperating with said pin wheel to release the ratchet wheel in timed relation to the descending level of the liquid in the reservoir.

6. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a frame, a liquid containing reservoir carried by the frame, a liquid dispensing valve provided in the bottom of the reservoir, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir and adapted to rest upon the level of the liquid in the reservoir, a vertically movable supporting member for the piston slidably carried by the frame, a piston rod mounted. for rotation relative to the piston and rotatably suspended from said supporting member, a resilient member secured to the supporting member and operatively connected to the piston rod whereby upon tensioning said resilient member and sudden release thereof a movement of rotation may be imparted to the piston rod, a liquid agitating device mounted for rotation with the piston rod and for vertical movement relative thereto.

7. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid reservoir having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a piston vertically movable in the reservoir and adapted to bear on the liquid contained therein, a piston rod penetrating through the reservoir, a vertically movable support for the piston situated above the reservoir and connected to the piston rod for movement with the piston, guiding means for said support,

and a hoist for raising said support and the piston.

WILLIAM VACHOUX. 

